Currents

Illinois State University is hosting the Illinois Renewable Energy Conference on Thursday, July 16, at the Bone Student Center Ballroom, Illinois State University, Normal from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The conference will include speakers on renewable energy, plus breakout sessions on renewable energy policy, technology, and case studies from around the state. Event partners […]

Illinois is third in the nation for the number of ­farmers markets. Farmers markets offer consumers farm-fresh, affordable, convenient, and healthy products such as: fruits, vegetables, cheeses, herbs, fish, flowers, baked goods, meat and much more. You can search for a community or roadside farmers market near you by going to http://www.agr.state.il.us/markets/farmers/ Farmers markets serve […]

Truth be told, those old used up disposable alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt, etc.) aren’t the environmental menace they used to be before the federal government mandated taking out the mercury as part of the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act of 1996. These days, in every U.S. state except California (which requires […]

Dairyland Power Cooperative is ­expanding its commit­ment to ­renewable resources with the ­purchase of output from Sartell Hydro, a hydroelectric ­generation station located on the Mississippi River in Sartell, Minn. Dairyland Power ­provides wholesale electricity to 25 member distribution ­cooperatives and 17 municipal utilities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. Dairyland Power has a long-term […]

Warren Goetsch has been promoted to Chief of Staff for the Illinois Department of Agriculture after long service as Bureau Chief of Environmental Programs. Goetsch has also been a director of Menard Electric Cooperative in Petersburg since 1987, and a director of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives since 2000 and is currently serving as […]

Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative, Winchester, was the first in the state to build a 500 kilowatt ­community solar facility. Following that ­project Jo-Carroll Energy, Elizabeth, announced the completion of a ­community solar project of 456 solar panels, each with a capacity of 275 watts. In March, Prairie Power, Inc. announced plans for two 500 kilowatt community […]

Two electric cooperative CEOs and a director will ­comprise the new leadership of the NRECA Board for the next two years. The new NRECA Board leader­ship team is President Mel Coleman, Vice President Phil Carson and Secretary-Treasurer Curtis Wynn. Carson is a board director for Tri-County Electric Cooperative and the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives. […]

Students from across Illinois met with their legislative represen­tatives during the Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperatives Youth Day on Wednesday, March 25 in Springfield. More than 250 students from around Illinois had an opportunity to visit the State Capitol, view state government in action and question their legislators on key issues. While touring the Capitol […]

A $50,000 GeoAlliance grant was presented in February to the First Baptist Church of Macomb. The grant will help offset the cost of the highly energy efficient geothermal heating and cooling system that was recently installed in the church’s new fellowship hall. Although the grant program is now closed, GeoAlliance was a collaboration between the […]

Each June, the Illinois Cooperative Council (ICC) hosts a two-day youth conference for high school FFA members from across the state to increase awareness of cooperatives. This event, to be held June 4-5 on the Macomb campus of Western Illinois University, provides leadership development opportunities for future cooperative leaders. Each year, approximately 75 students attend […]